Letters to the editor

Saturday

Jun 30, 2007 at 2:00 AM

June 19 — To the Editor:

What it should mean to be an American. Everybody should get a turn to serve this country. Today, some Americans pick up their axes and take their turns while others are allowed to turn away and walk off. Turning away should not be an option. I thank my lucky stars that when I picked up the axe the world was not at war as we are today. I took my chances, though, and left the U.S. Navy with an honorable discharge for 42 months of active duty. In my vision of the USA, we ought to have a national law that states that every man and woman, upon turning 18 or upon graduating from high school, must serve 24 months in the active service of the country. This does not mean one will be in the Navy or the Marines or the Peace Corps. It means that everyone has to take the axe in their hands for a short period of time to help keep the home fires burning. That we, as a country, do not think this way is to me a national disgrace. There should be no exemptions for service to one's country save those with IQs less than 80 or those with severe handicaps. Coming from a congressman's family, one of America's most wealthy families, or acceptance to the best of America's universities would not exempt anyone. Everyone needs to stand up and take their chances when their birthday year is 18 and until they are 20.

Failure to do that should mean your loss of U.S. citizenship and the right to live in this country. All immigrants, regardless of their ages, must serve their two years as soon as they step on our soil. If America is the place that people want to live that gives the greatest chances for economic success, then why is their no entrance fee?

Bill WarrenPortsmouth

June 19 — To the Editor:

Today we are very proud to say we are residents of Portsmouth. Both my wife and I had the privilege of serving as group facilitators for the recent study circles concerning the Portsmouth Middle School.

This was a great opportunity to participate in the true democratic process while meeting other concerned citizens. Our experience found people with strong opinions, convictions and values. We did not find that only the "angry" people came out to be heard and voice their concerns.

These groups were formed from a diverse slice of our community, anyone who wanted to be heard and was willing to volunteer their time and resources was able to.

Also, the facilitators (all volunteers) were trained by a non-profit, all-volunteer group of dedicated citizens. It is a truly rewarding experience to see this number of people come out for a common cause and work together to come to conclusions that lead to recommendations for our city's elected officials.

We are thankful to the City of Portsmouth, Mayor Marchand, the City Councilors, the City Manager, Portsmouth School Board and Portsmouth Listens for the opportunity to serve our city.

We hope this is the beginning of a continuous process of deliberative democracy to set Portsmouth ahead of all other communities.

This is truly a great time to be a Portsmouth resident.

Leo and Lori GagnonPortsmouth

June 19 — To the Editor:

I was disappointed reading Adam Leech's 'Dad to Dad' Father's Day column which was typically devoid of the near vacuous legal and social status of fathers today in the face of hostile mothers.

After 20 years of marriage, I was tossed aside after a long-term job loss and nervous breakdown. My three beloved children, like countless tens of thousands of N.H. children, have been wrongly and perversely deprived of their birthright. They couldn't even set their eyes on their father on Father's Day, or any other day, because N.H. 'family courts' are active participants in child exploitation and maltreatment. They participate in interference with visitation, the sexist term virtually always to describe and further demean biological fathering after divorce.

Instead of writing the very next column about "What women want," perhaps you should've done the fatherly thing and wrote about, "What children need" — both biological parents. I highly suggest going to http://www.nh.gov/csm/publications.html, downloading and reading. In the meantime, I'll continue to fight bigoted N.H. parenting segregation and my 'family court death sentence.'

Mike SmithPortsmouth

June 19 — To the Editor:

I could not believe the ungrateful whining I read in the article concerning the gravel at the Portsmouth dog park. It is shameful, first of all, that the city used taxpayers' money on something that benefits so few of its citizens. Secondly, how bad is it that you get our tax money for improvements and then complain about them? In the article, there is a quote that this is the most used park in the city. Since half of the people interviewed in the article were from out of town (Exeter), I wonder how many Portsmouth residents actually use it? If you are unhappy with what my hard-earned tax dollars have bought for you why don't you give us back the money, put your dog on a leash, put down your Double Mocha Latte and take your dog for a walk?

Brian LewtonPortsmouth

June 9 — To the Editor:

On June 12, a group of Seacoast-area young people performed at Flatbread Company in Portsmouth in Concert for a Cure, a showcase to benefit The Jimmy Fund. The performers ranged from 10-year-old blues performer Noah Landis to an incredible lineup of singers and musicians including Paige Morrency-Brassard, Billy Decker, Erica Estey, Dali McDaniels, Dan Kleinmann, Lauren Hill, ChanLing Beswick, Julie Fisher, Megan Ramsey, Lexy Paine, Laura Messner, DJ Ingalls, Katie Hart, Molly Simon, Lisa Graichen, and Andrew Bear. They performed everything from Broadway to Motown, blues, jazz, and pop. Donations from the audience and local sponsors ultimately raised $3,900 for the charity.

Local performers, Carri Coltrane and Kent Allyn, generously donated their time and talents to Concert for a Cure. Special thanks to Eleanor Bradshaw Fine Design, FedEx Kinko's, Seacoast Media Group, Flatbread Company, and all of the performers who provided great entertainment. Thank you to everyone who showed up at the concert and supported the fight against children's cancer.

Andrew BearRye Beach

June 19 — To the Editor:

On behalf of the Pro Portsmouth Board of Directors and Coordinator, Liz Rubin, I would like to thank all of those community partners who made the 30th Anniversary of Market Square Day Festival & 10K Road Race a reality in 2007.

Exeter Hospital joined us as the Official Sponsor of Pro Portsmouth's corps of Market Square Day Volunteers. Thanks go out to Ron Goodspeed for his support of the 200+ people who worked on Thursday, Friday and Saturday to make this event a reality.

Access Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics joined Market Square Day for the third year as the Road Race Title Sponsor. This partnership has become a real joy all around — the group at Access has been long involved in the event as runners and now as volunteers and supporters. Thanks, Patience!

Also for the third year, the Market Square Day Historic Walk was sponsored by Chinburg Builders. Seacoast Coca Cola returned as the Official Beverage Sponsor of Market Square Day. Hopefully, you caught up with a unique event hosted by a new Supporter - oh!, the Oxygen Network, Comcast and NH Girls Inc. — 'Fight Like A Girl' rocked Daniel Street.

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